Print Washer - medium and super size

**interneg** · 13-Mar-2023, 15:16

You might want to look at acrylic prismatic diffusion material for the dividers.

**Drew Wiley** · 13-Mar-2023, 16:01

Hi Bob. A 30X40 slot washer is a pretty big fish tank, and is going to need a lot of reinforcement. I thought we discussed this before. I prefer to wash prints that size in a big flat washer with a Kodak tray siphon instead. My 20X24 7-slot washer took me an afternoon to make using leftover 1/8" and 1/4" Acrylite FF sheeting. Just basic plexi solvent welding together. It's vital to have very straight truly square edges to all the pieces, either edge-trimmed with a straight Formica bit on a router table, or preferably cut with a Festool rail saw and plastic blade in the first place. You take your chances with conventional table saws. High-end programmable panel saws can also do it well. I also made 16X20 X 11X14 versions. My septums are 1/8" flat acrylic, but have tiny hemispherical true silicone cabinet door bumpers on them to keep the paper from sticking (don't use vinyl bumpers). These work using both siphon and bottom drain, and seem more water-efficient than the commercial models I've seen. Forget an aeration feature producing bubble; that sound counterproductive to me. Food coloring can be used for circulation and water change testing.

**Michael R** · 13-Mar-2023, 16:14

If you have deep pockets: http://kienzle-phototechnik.de/home_...nt_washer.html

**Mark Sampson** · 13-Mar-2023, 16:27

I use an 11x14 washer made of stainless steel, made c.1989 by a company called Darkroom Aids. DA is long gone; I heard later that the washer was available from the designer, under the name Rosy Products (or similar?). A stainless tank might be superior to acrylic.

**Fred L** · 13-Mar-2023, 17:03

looks like Rosyproducts.com is gone. webpage jumps to other sites.

I think Mark has a good point about stainless washers. I have an 11x14 Darkroom Aids (?) washer with plastic dividers (all connected in some basket type lifter deal). This might be easier to make/fabricate, and would definitely be much lighter than acrylic.

**malexand** · 13-Mar-2023, 18:51

Originally Posted by Drew Wiley

Hi Bob. A 30X40 slot washer is a pretty big fish tank, and is going to need a lot of reinforcement. I thought we discussed this before. I prefer to wash prints that size in a big flat washer with a Kodak tray siphon instead. My 20X24 7-slot washer took me an afternoon to make using leftover 1/8" and 1/4" Acrylite FF sheeting. Just basic plexi solvent welding together. It's vital to have very straight truly square edges to all the pieces, either edge-trimmed with a straight Formica bit on a router table, or preferably cut with a Festool rail saw and plastic blade in the first place. You take your chances with conventional table saws. High-end programmable panel saws can also do it well. I also made 16X20 X 11X14 versions. My septums are 1/8" flat acrylic, but have tiny hemispherical true silicone cabinet door bumpers on them to keep the paper from sticking (don't use vinyl bumpers). These work using both siphon and bottom drain, and seem more water-efficient than the commercial models I've seen. Forget an aeration feature producing bubble; that sound counterproductive to me. Food coloring can be used for circulation and water change testing.

I made a decent 11x14 washer from 1/4" plexi with a less than professional grade table saw. 2 chambers each able to hold 4 prints comfortably with dividers, water from first cascades into the next. As the cuts and joints were less than precise, I reinforced the outer joints by gluing aluminum angle stock over them. Still holding together after 20 years!
I was planning on building a larger one with similar methods, but as luck happens, found a 20x24 on craigslist that I coudln't refuse. just gotta find space to install it now!

**John Layton** · 14-Mar-2023, 03:11

Kind of thinking out loud here...but what about taking that huge six-slot tank and tipping it on its side...perhaps elevated a bit on one end - so that the water pressure could remain at reasonable levels? The lower end of this tank could have a number of valves located across the ends of each chamber...which would be closed for filling and opened (and possible adjusted for flow rates) for washing? Hmmm...

**Tin Can** · 14-Mar-2023, 04:23

I bought my used Rosy Products 11X14 washer in perfect condition for $10

but did not buy from same seller his overpriced gear

I have mine at the low end of my 7ft Rosy SinK also bought cheap from somebody

I can take it apart and carry it solo easily

Originally Posted by Mark Sampson

I use an 11x14 washer made of stainless steel, made c.1989 by a company called Darkroom Aids. DA is long gone; I heard later that the washer was available from the designer, under the name Rosy Products (or similar?). A stainless tank might be superior to acrylic.

**Tin Can** · 14-Mar-2023, 05:15

There was a member here that made really big prints

He made a wood tray, maybe 4X8 ft that had a slight tilting or rocker motion

He used one tray, filled by 5 gallon buckets

Tilting for agitation

Then drained into buckets from a large gate

He worked fast using the one large tray

**Todd Barlow** · 14-Mar-2023, 12:23

I have built a few in the past, here is the link to my post here on APUG. It is the 11th post.
https://www.photrio.com/forum/thread...washer.169744/

There are polyetheylene and polypropylene tank makers in the US that offer a lighter solution than the fish tanks and also provide vertical walls.
20x24"
If a 20x24 print can stand on the 20" side there is a 24"L x 30"H x 4"D. The issue with standing on the 24" side is that the divider holders / seperators will take up some of the 24" tank dimension so the 24" print could be compromised.
34x44"
VersaLab sells some sort of adaptor to allow a 20x24 print to be used in a 16x20 washer, not sure how it works but if someone has positive experience maybe the same approach can be used for your 34x44 need.

All the best

Todd